Lying on a bed in Ward No 19 of SMHS Hospital here, a youth from Pulwama district, allegedly beaten by forces, has bruise marks all over his body.
"They tied me to a tree and beat me till I fell unconscious," said Tawseef Ahmed Wani who was allegedly thrashed by forces inside a camp in south kashmir's Pulwama district on Monday, and is now admitted at SMHS Hospital here.
A resident of Achagoza village in Pulwama, he was shifted to SMHS Hospital from district Hospital Pulwama on Monday for specialised treatment.
A doctor treating him said that severe beating had necessitated keeping him under observation. "When a person is beaten like this, the injuries to soft tissues of body releases myoglobins which are toxic to kidneys," he said adding that his vital signs and blood chemistry was being closely monitored to avoid damage to his organs.
However, Wani said the beating has bruised more than his body. "I don't know why I was beaten up when I had reported to the camp as directed by forces," he said.
Wani said he got a call on Monday to report at forces camp at Shadimarg Pulwama. "However, when I went there the forces started beating me," alleged Wani.
"A Major while getting me beaten up inside the camp ordered that I take a picture with a gun and post it on social media. He threatened that if I don't do so in two days, I will be killed in a fake encounter," he alleged.
"Afterwards, the forces stripped me naked, tied me to a walnut tree and started beating me till I fell unconscious," he said.
Wani was brought to DH Pulwama in a "semi-conscious state". A doctor who provided the preliminary treatment to him at this hospital said that Wani wanted to see his family "one last time" as he feared he might die due to injuries.
A student pursuing his masters in English, Wani has three siblings, two brothers and one sister. His brother is an army-man who was serving in JAKLI. But, Wani says "the family has no clue of his whereabouts".
"My brother called us last time in July last year and since then there was no contact with him till last week, when he made a short call saying he was alright," Wani said.
Medical superintendent SMHS Hospital, Dr Saleem Tak said that the patient was stable but under observation. "He is improving and will be discharged in a couple of days hopefully," he said.
